Unkindness of Ravens

Rating:
Summary: Who Would Have Thought?
Review: "An Unkindness of Ravens" by Ruth Rendell, Recorded Books, Inc. Version, read by Davina Porter.

When a neighbor of Chief Inspector Wexford is reported missing, you just know that this is the murder required for this mystery. Sure enough, a dog sniffs out the body of Rodney Williams, shallow grave!, and Inspector Wexford begins to track down the last days of his neighbor's life.

But, who would have thought? In England? There are two Mrs. Williams, each claiming not to know about the existence of the other. Bigamy! And then, incest! Rodney's two daughters, separated by miles but so alike in genes. Was Rodney Williams involved in incest with his oldest daughter, Sarah? And preparing the other daughter, Veronica, (by the second Mrs. Williams, Wendy) for a turn in the incestuous bed?

Did he deserve to die? The autopsy shows that Rodney was drugged before he was stabbed to death, which leads to the secondary murder,(a necessary cover-up), of the daughter of the local pharmacist. All young ladies were members of the local feminist group. Inspector Wexford investigates this feminist group, whose logo is a raven with the head of a woman, hence the title of the book. As the Inspector uncovers more and more, it seems that Joy Williams, the first Mrs., has to be guilty. But, so much took place at the home of Wendy, the second Mrs. She had to be guilty, or they were working together ...which they deny. At the end, everything comes to nice and surprising conclusion, but you still have to wonder: all this in modern-day England? Who would have thought?

The book is well read by Davina Porter, who has the capability of developing an individual, almost unique voice for the Inspector. Of course, every time the Inspector asks what a person was doing on April 15th, the night of Rodney's murder, I would say to myself that I knew exactly what I was doing. In the book, in England, the alibis were always weak. In the United States, however, the usual answer would have been a very acceptable alibi: "I was doing my income taxes!"

Rating:
Summary: another excellent Rendell novel
Review: An "Unkindness" is the collective noun for a group of ravens. They are not particularly predatory birds, but neither rare they soft and submissive. Now, the Raven has become the symbol of a militant feminist group known as Arria, whose attitude to the male gender is, like the nature of said bird, far from submissive.

When Chief Inspector Wexford was asked to investigate the disappearance of his neighbour Rodney Williams he was certain it was just a case of another middle-aged man having run-off with a young woman. All the signs pointed that way. A waste of time to concern yourself with, his thoughts tell him. However, he would be shocked to his core when, weeks later, Rodney's disappearance turns out to be the centre of a violent and bizarre murder.

As reliable as ever, this is Rendell - and Wexford - once again on fine form. If you want an entertaining, intelligent and realistic with piercing insights into society, Ruth Rendell is the author to whom you should turn. The Wexford series remains the best example of the English detective story currently being produced. It stands out not just for its layered intelligence, but its unflinching social observancy, its piercing insight into human nature, and its warm (sometimes!) and nostalgic centre in the form of Reg Wexford.

This novel is a very strong addition to the series. Rendell's mystery is intricate and dramatic and original and very intriguing, with a plausible solution that will shock if not surprise. An Unkindness of Ravens is an excellent book of detection as well as being a vehicle for Rendell's unerring observational insight into society and its constant shifts and changes. It is well worth anyone's time.

Rating:
Summary: Tiresome
Review: An Unkindness of Ravens marks yet another Inspector Wexford mystery and it revolves around the disappearance of a neighbor and a militant feminist group. The story holds together well enough and it's a super fast read. As I've read more Ruth Rendell novels, I am disappointed in the rushed pace of the novel. A story like this needs to unfold slowly. Not that I want to make a novel overly long, but I feel a tad more background information on the recurring characters and the current suspects would work to her advantage. It's not her best. It's not her worst. It's a serviceable mystery that is over before it starts.

Rating:
Summary: Compulsively Readable
Review: An Unkindness of Ravens marks yet another Inspector Wexford mystery and it revolves around the disappearance of a neighbor and a militant feminist group. The story holds together well enough and it's a super fast read. As I've read more Ruth Rendell novels, I am disappointed in the rushed pace of the novel. A story like this needs to unfold slowly. Not that I want to make a novel overly long, but I feel a tad more background information on the recurring characters and the current suspects would work to her advantage. It's not her best. It's not her worst. It's a serviceable mystery that is over before it starts.

Rating:
Summary: As good as PD James
Review: Chief Inspector Wexford's neighbor Rodney Williams is reported missing by his wife and what he thinks will be a typical "husband running out on wife" case proves otherwise. As the search for the missing man resumes, Wexford soons finds that Williams was a man of many secrets. The man's penchant for young girls coincides with the popularity of a local feminists group called ARRIA which seems to include every young woman in town. Rendell does a masterful job here of layering new elements to the mystery with every concluding chapter and the outcome eventually turns out to be surprising yet sensible. Rendell is also an expert at molding three dimensional characters with only minimal details (what was the other reviewer reading? ). Overall, well written, literate and satisying.

Rating:
Summary: Tiresome
Review: I picked up the audio version of this book hoping it would keep my interest for a cross country drive. Instead, I found myself irritated at the tedious pace and extraneous details. I didn't care for any of the characters, and by the time I realized it wasn't going to get any better...I was in too deep and had to finish out the 9+ hours to find out whodunnit. At least it kept me awake for the drive. Nevermore.